The catholic churches within the Forest of Dean and Newent Parishes lie within the Clifton Diocese, which is part of the Catholic Church in England & Wales.
Parish Priest: Fr. Martin Queenan
Lay Pastoral Assistant to the Forest of Dean Parish: Fiona Mills
Personal Assistant: Samantha Buchanan
Coleford: forestrcchurches@cliftondiocese.com
Newent: newent.ourladyoflourdes@cliftondiocese.com
Parish Office Details
Telephone: 01594 833173
Address: St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 4 High Nash, Coleford, Gloucestershire. GL16 8HN.
Parish Office open: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings between 9am and 11am. All Mail and Parcels to be sent to the Coleford Office.
Emails to the Parish are checked from Monday morning until Friday morning.
Funerals please contact Fr. Martin in the first instance.
Baptisms are celebrated by approaching Fr. Martin and then meeting with him.
Marriages require at least six months notice. Initially please speak to Fr. Martin.
Sacrament of the Sick - please let Sam in the church office know if someone needs a visit for Sacrament of the Sick.
Mass Intentions can be requested by seeing the celebrating priest or emailing the Parish Office.
(All Mail and Parcels to be sent to Coleford)
St. Margaret Mary's, 4 High Nash, Coleford, Glos, GL16 8HN. [ Map » ]
Pastoral Council Members: Peter Chisholm, Sarah Perkins.
Our Lady of Victories, Flaxley Street, Cinderford, GL14 2DJ. [ Map » ]
Pastoral Council Members: Noel Riossi
St. Joseph's, Tutshill, Lydney, Glos, GL15 5PA. [ Map » ]
Pastoral Council Members: Pip Deave (Chairperson), Dorota Dufort, Ruth Wood
Our Lady of Lourdes, Ross Road, Newent, Glos, GL18 1BG. [ Map » ]
Pastoral Council Members:
In Clifton Diocese we are deeply committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all those entrusted to our care, especially the most vulnerable among us. The Church’s mission is to bring the light of Christ to the world, and we must be vigilant in protecting those who are at risk of harm. The sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults is a grave sin that deeply offends our Lord and causes immense harm to victims.
As the shepherd of this diocese, I take this responsibility very seriously and I am determined to do everything in my power to prevent such abuses from occurring and to respond swiftly and compassionately when they do.
To this end, we have implemented robust safeguarding policies and procedures throughout the diocese. It is the responsibility of everyone within the Diocese of Clifton to ensure our parishes and institutions are safe places, especially for those who are vulnerable. We have a zero tolerance to abuse, harm and any behaviour that falls short of appropriate safeguarding practices as expressed in National Policies from the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency.
We are also committed to fostering a culture of transparency and accountability within the Church in all our activities. Responding to those who come forward to report having suffered harm is a vital part of our mission and the Diocese is committed to being a welcoming and safe Church that is truly a beacon of light and hope for all.
We strive to support survivors and those who have been harmed by the Church, and we wish to work with survivors to improve standards further. We will listen and learn from every survivor/victim we work with.
May the grace of God strengthen us in this vital mission.
Bishop Bosco MacDonald, May 2024
Our safe guarding representatives are also available to help you with your needs at this time please contact Jenny Heseltine Tel: 01989 750665 or email Jenny for Newent. Contact Fiona Mills email: Fiona or phone: 01594 833173 for the Forest of Dean.
The Diocesan safeguarding team supports the ministry of the Church by providing a professional and robust support around the protection of children, young people and adults at risk, to ensure that worshipping communities are safe places where all have a positive experience of the Church in which they feel loved, accepted and safe.
All issues will be dealt with in a sensitive and caring manner, in the strictest of confidence.
The dedicated safeguarding team work closely with other agencies including the Police, Probation, Social Services and comply with the standards that are set by the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA). The CSSA has been set up as a professional standards body with regulatory powers which exist to regulate all Catholic Churches.
The safeguarding office is located at Alexander House, 160 Pennywell Road, Bristol, BS5 0TX
Their website is: Clifton Diocese Safeguarding and has a great deal of information and contact details.
General enquiries: 0117 954 0993.
Email: Clifton Diocese Safeguarding
Safeguarding Coordinator email: Janice Pearson 07887 990 385
Mass Live Streaming
Our Masses and Services are live-streamed and recorded on YouTube. Visit the Forest RC Church YouTube channel and subscribe so that you don't miss any future videos. Click the bell icon to get notified of new videos that have or will be taking place. You can browse and watch all our past live-streams and videos, and if you enjoy one, please give it a like. Thank you for your support.
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Christmas Masses and Mid-week Masses & Services
Feast of the Holy Family
Mid-week Masses & Services
Bad Weather Alerts
If there is a likelihood of closing our churches due to bad weather, the information will be posted on this Church Website, on the Church Facebook Page and also to all those that have opted to receive the Newsletter by email. So please check the Church Website or Facebook Page before travelling to church for Mass, Service or Private Prayer particularly if the weather is bad. We don’t want you to arrive at a closed church!
Masses & Services live-streamed links:
The next live-streamed Sunday Mass will be the Fourth Sunday of Advent on December 22nd at 9am. This link will take you directly to the live-stream channel: Live Sunday Mass.
Recently live-streamed or recorded Masses, Services and Talks:
Sunday Mass for Third Sunday of Advent 15th December can be found here
Nuptial Mass for Jessica and Patrick was recorded at St. Joseph's 29th November and can be found here
Requiem Mass for Valmay Joy Young was live-streamed from Our Lady of Lourdes at 1pm on Thursday 21st November. The recorded video can be found here: Requiem Mass Val Young
On-line Masses elsewhere:
Live Mass is available from Clifton Diocese with this link: Clifton Cathedral Mass Sunday Mass: 9.30 am (Family), 11.15 am (Solemn), 6.00 pm
Masses in our Neighbouring Parishes:
Chepstow: Saturday 6pm, Sunday 11am, Thursday 10am.
Caldicot: Sunday 9am, Friday 10am
Monmouth: Saturday 6pm, Sunday 9.15am, Monday 10am, Wednesday 10am, Friday 10am. Ross on Wye: Sunday 11am, Tuesday 11am, Thursday 11am.
Please check the following websites for occasional changes.
For times of Masses in St Frances of Rome, Ross on Wye, and St Mary’s, Monmouth please use this link: Monmouth & Ross RC Churches.
For times of Masses in St Mary’s, Chepstow and St Paul’s, Caldicot please use this link: St. Mary's Chepstow.
Phone contacts
To help those without internet, Mass by phone 01642 130120 (calls charged at local rate and free if included in your minutes).
Hospital; Gloucester and Cheltenham Chaplaincy Team will visit and Pray with patients on our behalf 0300 422 6200/4286.
Hospital Chaplain - Julian Dowle - if you or anyone you know is admitted to hospital and would like a visit from our Hospital Chaplain, please contact Julian Dowle on 01989 721215 or email Julian. Thank you!
