Announcing the passing of Fr David Hennessey, Bishop Alan Hopes said: “After many years of living with cancer, Fr David died very peacefully early in the morning of 9th March in the convent of Jesus and Mary in Felixstowe. He was aided by the prayers of his family and some of the sisters who were with him. I am extremely grateful to the Sisters and to Carol (the Manager) who have supported him and encouraged him through these last months.” Then Brother David, of the De La Salle order, he became head of the independent St Joseph’s College day and boarding school in Ipswich in the autumn of 1987, and, after leaving the order remained as head of the School. David later trained for the Catholic priesthood at St John’s Seminary, Wonersh, and was ordained in the college chapel on December 6th 1998. He was appointed as assistant priest at All Souls’, Peterborough, where he stayed until be became parish priest of Sawston in Cambridgeshire. He was transferred to St Felix parish in Felixstowe in 2007. In all three parishes in which he served his is remembered as a kind pastor, a gifted preacher and an inspiring teacher. His funeral will take place at St Mary’s Ipswich, at 11.30am on Wednesday, 10th April, followed by cremation at Seven Hills Crematorium. Please remember him in your prayers.
CAFOD, as one of the member organisations of the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC), has launched an appeal to help those devastated by the recent cyclone which has killed an unknown number of people in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and left an estimated 2.6 million people in desperate need of food, shelter, clean water and medicine. CAFOD says:
We don't yet know how many people have been killed by the powerful cyclone that has hit southern Africa, but the number is likely to be in the hundreds - maybe higher. We do know that those who survived are in desperate need of your help. We are in a race against time to provide emergency shelter, clean water and food to people who have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods. Thank you to everyone who has recently given to our Lent Appeal. We are appealing again so soon because of the urgency and scale of this disaster - an estimated 2.6 million people are in need of vital humanitarian aid to survive the coming days and weeks ahead.
If you are able to give again, every donation will help bring hope and dignity to ordinary people facing a terrible situation.
To aid in this, there will be a special retiring collection taken at masses on Sunday 24th March, or donations can be made direct to the CAFOD web site www.cafod.org.uk. Please be generous.
The Diocesan Certificate in Catholic Studies is an academic accreditation course run by the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology. This course is open to anyone who seeks to enrich their understanding of Catholic faith and thinking, as well as to those wishing to enhance professional practice. It is suitable for teachers, teaching assistants, parish catechists, parish assistants, parish volunteers and parishioners. The Topics include Old and New Testament, the Person of Christ, the Sacraments, The Church and Catholic Moral Teaching. The next course will run on 6th, 13th and 20th June, 3 – 6pm at Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology, 12 Grange Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DU. The cost is £120 (+£60 for assignment essay option.), with discounts available if more than one person attends from the same parish. For an application form or further information please contact Sue Price by email mbitadm@hermes.cam.ac.uk or ring 01223 741039.
Today, our adult Elect Catechumens who are preparing to be received into full communion with the church at the Easter Vigil service, undergo the first of their scrutinies. This is a right of soul searching and repentance that is meant to uncover, then heal, all that is weak, defective or sinful in the hearts of the Elect in order to bring out then strengthen all that is upright, strong and good. The ritual Masses in which these scrutinies take place, make use of the readings’ for Cycle A of the lectionary, hence the change of readings this week. Please remember our Catechumens in your prayers as they continue to receive instruction and prepare for full reception into the church.
The final prize draw of the 150 Club year, will take place on Sunday 31st March after the 10:00 Mass. This is the main draw of the year at which the major annual bonus prizes will be drawn. The subscription envelopes for the new year, which begins 1st April 2019, are now available. The membership of the 150 Club has declined in the last 12 months – a number of our supporters have sadly passed away and we need new members just to maintain the status quo. We have a number of new parishioners, and it would be nice if everyone were to join. If you are not a member of the 150 Club, now, at the start of the new year, would be the perfect time to take that initial step, fill out an application form, and support your parish in this important fund raising venture. Membership forms can be found in the narthex or can be down loaded from the parish web site: simply complete one and simply deposit it in the collection plate at Mass or pop it through the presbytery letter box.
On Tuesday 16th April in St John’s cathedral, Norwich, one of the main Diocesan events of the year takes place – the Chrism Mass. The Cathedral is usually packed for this special Mass celebrated by the Bishop, at which the Holy Oils used during the year for the administration of the sacraments throughout all the parishes of the Diocese, are blessed and sent out. At this service also, the priests, deacons and all the people renew their commitment to serve. Afterwards, refreshments are served in the cathedral narthex.
Lenten Station Masses are held in the seven deaneries across the Diocese of East Anglia, celebrated by Bishop Alan Hopes. Each Mass begins with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Sacrament of Reconciliation at 6 pm, followed by the Station Mass at 7 pm celebrated by Bishop Alan and priests of the deanery. The Mass is followed by soup, bread and cheese afterwards. The Ipswich Station Mass will take on Tuesday 26th March at St Mary’s church, Woodbridge Road, and is open to all.
Last Sunday, there was a second collection taken after each Mass to receive your donations from the Lenten Family Fast Day, Friday 15th March. This collection amounted to £370.57 which will be forwarded to CAFOD. Thank you.
The Stations of the Cross is a Lenten devotion, most commonly prayed on Wednesdays and Fridays during this penitential season. The 14 stations are found around the walls of most churches as a series of icons or images, each depicting a specific event from Christ's last day. At each station we use our senses and our imagination to reflect prayerfully upon Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection, and to simply experience the visual images to reflect on Christ’s love which he showed for us in his most sorrowful passion. During Lent, when we are encouraged to prepare for Easter through prayer, almsgiving and fasting, praying the Stations of the Cross is a good way to make that extra effort – to contemplate, and enter into, the mystery of Jesus' gift of himself to us. Stations of the Cross will be held at 7:00 pm on Friday evening, followed by Mass.
The Diocesan Certificate in Catholic Studies is an academic accreditation course run by the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology. This course is open to anyone who seeks to enrich their understanding of Catholic faith and thinking as well as to those wishing to enhance professional practice. It is suitable for teachers, teaching assistants, parish catechists, parish assistants, parish volunteers and parishioners. The Topics include Old and New Testament, the Person of Christ, the Sacraments, The Church and Catholic Moral Teaching. The next course will run on 6th, 13th and 20th June, 3 – 6pm at Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology, 12 Grange Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DU. The cost is £120 (+£60 for assignment essay option.), with discounts available if more than one person attends from the same parish. For an application form or further information please contact Sue Price by email mbitadm@hermes.ac.uk or ring 01223 741039.
