About Saint Wulstan Pastoral Area
In September 2023, Bishop Declan announced that the 13 deaneries of the Clifton Diocese would be replaced by 9 pastoral areas, led by a dean. The reason for this change was to make more effective the mission of the Clifton Diocese to the wider community.
Each of the pastoral areas are named after a saint of the Clifton Diocese. It is hoped that parishioners will all be inspired by these people who have lived the Christian life in a previous time and have dedicated their lives to the Kingdom of God.
St Wulstan’s Pastoral Area covers the parishes of, St Patrick (Brockworth), Our Lady of Perpetual Succour (Churchdown), Our Lady of Victories (Cinderford), St Margaret Mary (Coleford), St Dominic (Dursley), St Augustine of Canterbury (Matson), St Peter (Gloucester), Our Lady of Lourdes (Newent), St Joseph (Nympsfield), St Joseph (Stonehouse), The Immaculate Conception (Stroud), Christ the King (Thornbury), English Martyrs (Tuffley), The Good Shepherd, Ukrainian Church (Gloucester), Holy Cross (Wotton-under-Edge), and The Annunciation (Woodchester).
Who Was Saint Wulstan?
St. Wulstan, born around 1008 in England, became the Bishop of Worcester. He was known for his kindness, humility, and strong devotion to his faith. Wulstan lived during a time of great change, including the Norman Conquest of England, and remained a steady and trusted leader throughout. He travelled large distances, with his Diocese at the time stretching from Worcestor Cathedral down to Bristol, covering much of the current Clifton Diocese.
The Last Anglo-Saxon Bishop: After the Norman Conquest, most leaders were replaced with Normans, but Wulstan was so respected that he kept his position as Bishop of Worcester. He was the only Anglo-Saxon bishop to do so, showing how much people admired him.
A Defender of Justice: One of Wulstan’s biggest achievements was helping to end the slave trade in England. At the time, people were being sold as slaves in Bristol. Wulstan worked hard to stop this cruel practice, showing his bravery and compassion.
Patron Saint of Vegetarians:His decision to become a vegetarian followed an incident while praying and a cooked goose.