The combined April and May prize draws was made in the Garden Room after 10:00 Mass Sunday 25th May. The prize winners were:
| April Prize Draw | |||
| First Prize | £25 | No 263 | Miss S Fosker |
| Second Prize | £20 | No 7 | Mrs C Long |
| Third Prize | £15 | No 67 | Mr A Ford |
| Fourth Prize | £10 | No 114 | Mrs P B Young |
| May Prize Draw | |||
| First Prize | £25 | No 341 | Mrs J Barredo |
| Second Prize | £20 | No 302 | Mr R Hennon |
| Third Prize | £15 | No 21 | Mr N Fox |
| Fourth Prize | £10 | No 108 | Mrs A Bardwell |
As a result of a number of subscribers who have, for one reason or another, decided not to renew their membership this year, membership stands at 23 less than 31st March when the previous year ended, so there is plenty of room for new members. Application forms are available in the church porch and also online here on the parish website. Please do sign up and help support your parish in this way.
The June prize draw, including the First Quarter Bonus Prize, will be made a little later than scheduled due to holiday absences and will take place in the Garden Room after 10:00 Mass on Sunday 6th July.
Thursday 29th May, being Ascension Day, means that the Bible Study Group will not meet this week. The next session of the group will be Thursday 5th June at 7:15 in the Garden Room.
The June edition of Catholic East Anglia, the free Diocesan newspaper, is now published and you can collect a paper copy from the back of church. Alternatively, click the image to the left and you can read the issue online.
The edition includes news of Pope Leo XIV alongside a statement from Bishop Peter Collins.
Also included is a report on the Requiem Mass for Pope Francis at the Cathedral of St John the Baptist.
Next Sunday, 1st June, is World Communications Day. It’s a day when we pray for all those who work in the media. It was established by Pope Paul VI in 1967 as an annual celebration that encourages us to reflect on the opportunities and challenges that the modern means of social communication afford the Church to communicate the gospel message. To mark this year’s World Communications Day, the Holy Father Pope Francis before he died, issued a message for world communications day which can be read in full below.
To support the church’s work in this important field, the Communications Office of the Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales is a team working in the media to publicise and promote Catholic content within mainstream media and to help support its work, there will be a retiring collection after all Masses next weekend.
Pope Francis' Message for World Communications Day 2025
Dear brothers and sisters!
In these our times, characterised by disinformation and polarisation, as a few centres of power control an unprecedented mass of data and information, I would like to speak to you as one who is well aware of the importance – now more than ever – of your work as journalists and communicators. Your courageous efforts to put personal and collective responsibility towards others at the heart of communication are indeed necessary.
As I reflect on the Jubilee we are celebrating this year as a moment of grace in these troubled times, I would like in this Message to invite you to be “communicators of hope”, starting from a renewal of your work and mission in the spirit of the Gospel. Read more...
Following the recent appointment of new joint head teachers at St Pancras school, efforts have been made to reinvigorate the relationship between school and church which has declined in recent times. Mr Ross McGill, a teacher at St Pancras for many years, has been appointed as the new Head of School and the new Executive Headteacher is Mrs Jo Berry. Fr Luke has met with the new leadership team at the school and one early outcome from these changes is the reintroduction of regular school Masses. Starting Thursday 5th June, year group Masses for the St Pancras children will be held each week at 10:00 in church, and in July a leavers Mass will be held. The new leadership team is looking for opportunities for the school to engage more with the parish and is open to approaches from parishioners to be involved with the school, and to further promote this interaction, it is hoped that Mr McGill will take up an ex-officio appointment on the Parish Mission Council. Let us pray that the rekindling of the church-school relationship develops and proves to be a source of inspiration and development of the faith of our young people.
The renowned Marian Father of the Immaculate Conception, Fr Chris Alar, will be visiting Ipswich on June 6th and in the evening at St Marks there will be a special Mass at 6:00 pm followed by followed by a chaplet of Divine Mercy and a talk on Our Lady of Ipswich. Refreshments will be served at 9:00 pm and there will be an opportunity for book signing. All are welcome.
The Ipswich Catholic Polish community will be celebrating an additional weekly Mass in St Mary Magdalen church. Starting on Saturday 31stMay, a regular Saturday evening Mass will be held in addition to the current Sunday noon Mass.
Would you like to join our team of readers – to proclaim God’s Word at Mass and take a fuller part in the liturgy? There will be a training and practice session for new readers on Saturday 14th June starting at 10:30 in the church. Anyone who wants to read will get a chance to try without the pressure of a congregation present. If you are interested please turn up on the day, or for more information speak to Martin Pakes or [javascript protected email address]
On Saturday 31st May there will be something new for Ipswich – a Deanery based Walking Pilgrimage of Our Lady of Ipswich to mark the feast of the Visitation.
The walk will start from each of St Mary’s, St Marks, and St Mary Magdalens churches and the three groups will come together at St Pancras church for the Angelus at 12 noon followed by the Mass of the Feast of the Visitation at 12:15.
The walk from St Mary Magdalen will start at 10:45. This event offers us all a chance to witness our faith and devotion, especially to Our Lady, and it would be a very good thing for as many as possible to join in and make the event a great success.
Many of you will know John Anderson-Hurst who was a previous treasurer of the parish, husband of Christine, who died suddenly at home on Thursday 24th April. Please remember John in your prayers and pray for his wife, family and friends who mourn his passing.
Also, on Friday 25th April, Martin Long, Michael’s brother, passed away in Colchester hospital after a sudden and unexpected illness. Please remember Martin’s wife Nicole, his 6 children and all his family.
May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
