The Franciscan Order was invited to return to Bristol by Bishop Clifford in 1889. 
Friars Minor from Forest Gate (East London) arrived and purchased the current site, which was formerly part of Shadwell Farm, later that year. 
A school (since replaced) was built in 1890, incorporating a chapel.
In this was baptised in 1891 William Joseph Slim, the wartime commander and later Governor General of Australia. 
The friary building was built next, in 1891-2; the report of the laying of the foundation stone in The Tablet stated:‘The part now undertaken is intended to contain porch, hall, reception rooms, porter’s room, study, library, and friars’ cells and cloisters, which will in the future be continued to form the quadrangle. The total length of the portion now under consideration will be 108 feet, and the width 33 feet. The style of the friary will be domestic Gothic of the 15th century, but rather severe in style, in order to be in accordance with the Franciscan rule. The building will be of local stone, with dressings of Bath stone. The first contract is being carried out by Messrs Wilkins and Sons, Bristol, the architects being Messrs. Pugin and Pugin of Westminster’. 
Pugin & Pugin had been architects for the Franciscan church and friary buildings at Forest Gate, and the firm was employed similarly here. 
The builders were  Wilkins & Sons. 
The church is in thirteenth-century Gothic style, possibly referencing Bristol Greyfriars, built at Lewin’s Mead from 1250 (dissolved in 1538). 
Work started on the present church in July 1900, and the building was opened by Bishop Clifford on 14 March 1901. 
The furnishing of the sanctuary followed as funds permitted. 
The high altar was designed and built by one of the friars, and three stained glass windows depicting Franciscan saints were fitted at the east end in 1906, designed and made by Alexander Booker (then active in Bruges). 
Following a bequest, the west end (western bay of nave and aisles, baptistery and porches) and the confessionals, sacristy, belfry and Lady Chapel were added in 1907-09. 
In 1923 a pietà was installed in the church as a memorial to the parish dead of the First World War and in 1927 the hanging rood was installed at the chancel arch. 
A parish hall was built in 1932 and on 13 June 1936 the completed church was consecrated by Bishop Lee. 
In preparation for this a new high altar and reredos in Early Christian style designed by John Bevan FRIBA was installed.
In 1963 the parish hall was replaced by a large new social club, Greyfriars, and in 1974 a new primary school replaced that of 1890 on the adjoining land. 
The church was reordered by Austin Winkley of Williams & Winkley, London in 1975, when the Bevan high altar and reredos were removed. 
However, the tabernacle from this altar was set up on the Lady altar, to create a new Blessed Sacrament Chapel. 
New sanctuary furnishings were provided, including a replacement font, but these have not survived subsequent reordering. 
The original font was transferred from the baptistery to the southeast porch, where it served as a stoup; it is now back in the church. 
In 1980 the Franciscans handed the care of the parish over to the diocese. 
The friary became a presbytery and offices (for Cafod and Life). 
The church was redecorated and new lighting installed in 1997; a crypt chapel dedicated to St Therese of Lisieux was opened at the same time. 
Parish returns at this time show a Sunday congregation of about 1100; by 2013 this figure had halved, but the congregation remains one of the largest in the city. 

Furnishings of note include:

• The altars in the side chapels, stone with plain marble insets, probably mid-twentieth century and of almost Art Deco character; the south chapel is now the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, and incorporates the tabernacle from the Bevan high altar

• A fine polychrome statue of Our Lady over the altar in the Lady Chapel

• An affecting polychrome pietà in the south aisle, installed in 1923 as a memorial to the parish dead of the First World War

• The baptistery retains its metal gates but is now a repository. The font (probably of c. 1909) has now been moved to a position close by, at the western end of the north aisle. It is of Bath stone, with an octagonal bowl with diamond marble insets, on a circular moulded stem and square base.

• The nave seating consists of simple chamfered benches, probably early twentieth century in date.

• The sanctuary is marked by a plain moulded chancel arch, from which hangs a suspended timber crucifix, installed in 1927. The sanctuary furnishings (panelling to east wall, altar, ambo, seating) are of pale oak, recent in date.

• The fine east window remains, with depictions of St Bonaventure, St Elizabeth of Hungary and St Clare (1906, by Alexander Booker). This is the only stained glass in the church.  

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